This invention relates to the automotive relay of the hold-in type which once actuated to cause its normally open relay contacts to close maintains such contacts in closed relationship upon the removal of switch controlled exciting current. Thus the relay of the invention may be actuated by a momentary exciting pulse on its input terminal but will remain a circuit on its output terminal excited thereafter.
Electrical and electronic circuits for causing a normally open relay to maintain its contacts closed when the relay has been momentarily energized are well known. The number of electrical or electronic components required to accomplish such function adds substantial cost to a relay structure to be provided for use in automotive applications. Generally, this functional result may be accomplished simply by the use of two relays wherein an additional relay switches a first relay from an exciting source to the continuous source. The substitute electronic structure for the additional relay operates essentially in the same way. However, there is a demand for a relay structure having a battery or ignition terminal, an actuating terminal, an output load terminal and a ground terminal to be so organized in its function and structure on a single support base as to provide a hold-in function to connect the output terminal to the battery or ignition terminal once an exciting pulse is applied to the actuating terminal to energize the relay momentarily.